Black Heritage Stamp Dedication

Afro-American Cultural Center To Host Stamp Dedication

CHARLOTTE, NC — The first Black Heritage stamp event in the Mid-Carolinas District this year will commence at the Afro-American Cultural Center in Charlotte, NC on Saturday, February 23, 2008, beginning at 12:30 p.m. The subject immortalized on this year’s stamp is Charles W. Chesnutt, who was considered the first African-American writer to receive major acclaim when his stories were published in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Chesnutt grew up in Fayetteville, NC, and later became schoolmaster at Fayetteville Normal School, the precursor to Fayetteville State University. He also taught at an all black school in Charlotte, NC in 1873. The stamp is available at Post Offices nationwide and online at www.usps.com.

“Charles Chesnutt was an American original, a gifted writer and social activist whose candid discussions of race in America helped set the stage for the successful civil rights movement of the 20th century,” said Delores Killette, vice president and consumer advocate for the Postal Service.

He made an important breakthrough when his short story, “The Goophered Grapevine,” appeared in the August 1887 issue of Atlantic Monthly. A distinguished writer, he was recognized as a major innovator and singular voice among turn-of-the-century literary realists. His work in political and civic affairs and his stance against racial discrimination earned him in 1928 the NAACP Spingarn Medal, which recognizes distinguished merit and achievement among African Americans.

The event at the Afro-American Cultural Center will feature music, guest speakers, and a presentation by a relative of Chesnutt from Fayetteville, NC. It is free and open to the public and to employees off-the-clock. Parking is available at Little Rock AME Zion Church, 401 North McDowell Street, Charlotte, NC 28204.